Column is a common English word with multiple meanings:
1. In architecture, a column is a vertical structural element that transmits weight from above to below.
2. In newspapers/magazines, a column refers to a regular article or feature by a particular writer.
3. In tables/spreadsheets, a column is a vertical arrangement of items.
4. In military terms, a column is a formation of troops marching in a line.
5. In chemistry, a column refers to a vertical tube used in distillation or chromatography.